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Give it a read - it's not a long article. In my opinion, I would say it is a fair portrayal of both where we have been and where we are now... nothing on the future though. Would like to hear what you all think though, and with some luck maybe make this thread one where all of our national "notoriety", good or bad, goes.

Give it a read - it's not a long article. In my opinion, I would say it is a fair portrayal of both where we have been and where we are now... nothing on the future though. Would like to hear what you all think though, and with some luck maybe make this thread one where all of our national "notoriety", good or bad, goes.

Bittersweet. Not really sure what Ohio is going to have to do to get back in the collective consciousness again. It seems like the few things it is doing right, aren't getting noticed. None of the new industries can support the labor force of the older technologies. I always say that people should just stay where they're at if they're uneducated, thinking about moving there for cheaper rent, because they might find themselves in an even worse situation than they're in wherever they're from.

I think it is a fair assessment of the city. As a city, we need to stop resting on the laurels of our predecessors and move on to the next great thing for Dayton. Whatever that is. I don't see Dayton becoming a huge hub for innovation like it was in the past unfortunately.

We need local government to give companies reasons to be creative, innovative, and grow. And, not just do that, but do that in Dayton. Not start in Dayton and then move. We need to give the growing companies reasons to stay.

Caresource has stayed so far and been an outstanding corporate citizen. Same with Premier Health, which could have put its HQ anywhere but chose to stay downtown and buy a tower for a bargain price. Reynolds and Reynolds stayed in the metro, Verso is deciding even after the Newpage merger to keep a good amount of operations in Miami Twp, etc.

So we can do what's necessary to keep companies here, for some players. And the track record has become significantly better post-Gov Taft, with the Dayton Development Coalition in place and JobsOhio too. Also, people like to fight for the underdog, and there are few other places in this nation that are more of an underdog than Dayton, Ohio. Any top dog feelings one may have had toward this city left with Delphi, NCR, and GM.

With some luck and ingenuity, maybe we can get it back. Heck, there's still a lot of firsts happening around here. Just look at our craft brewing scene. Dayton and surrounding is hosting

- One of the first Co-Op breweries in the nation (5th St. Brewpub, the only one to be featured on NPR)
- The nation's first 3D printing makerspace / bar (Proto Build Bar)
- The nation's first brewery in a production museum (Carrillon Brewing Co.)
- The nation's first brewery / strip club (Pinups and Pints)
(hey, we do live in the land of Hustler, Larry Flynt got his start in the east side bars of Dayton)

So we can innovate. And we can be cool. One big benefit is the lack of capital and resources needed to start something cool in Dayton compared to the Silicon Valley or NYC, etc. With the right marketing/advertising, good connections, and some luck along the way, anything is just as possible here as it is on the coasts, or Austin TX, or wherever. Government is doing a good job of putting the right resources in place to encourage more of this (Activated Spaces, for instance). Now the key will be to let it all grow.

In the long run, NCR and GM bolting is exactly what Dayton needed. The entire history of this town was built on innovation, thinkers, and creators. Dayton got away from all of that. Instead it rested on it's laurels. People worked union jobs that were unsustainable (and not just GM), people took for granted NCR would never leave it's hometown. When those 2 finally did, it made everyone step back and say, "we HAVE to reinvent ourselves."

The past 4-5 years the city and region have done a good job. UDRI has expanded, UD has brought in new business to the part of town NCR once owned. Honda has expanded in several locations, offering good paying jobs without having to fight with unions. Fuayo coming in will be a large shot in the arm. Manufacturing companies are much more nimble and able to better compete in a global marketplace. Reshoring will continue to benefit Dayton.

There are plenty of reasons to be pessimistic towards the future. But, there are a lot of reasons (as mentioned by SWOHio) to be plenty excited also.

In the long run, NCR and GM bolting is exactly what Dayton needed. The entire history of this town was built on innovation, thinkers, and creators. Dayton got away from all of that. Instead it rested on it's laurels. People worked union jobs that were unsustainable (and not just GM), people took for granted NCR would never leave it's hometown. When those 2 finally did, it made everyone step back and say, "we HAVE to reinvent ourselves."

The past 4-5 years the city and region have done a good job. UDRI has expanded, UD has brought in new business to the part of town NCR once owned. Honda has expanded in several locations, offering good paying jobs without having to fight with unions. Fuayo coming in will be a large shot in the arm. Manufacturing companies are much more nimble and able to better compete in a global marketplace. Reshoring will continue to benefit Dayton.

There are plenty of reasons to be pessimistic towards the future. But, there are a lot of reasons (as mentioned by SWOHio) to be plenty excited also.

In the long run, NCR and GM bolting is exactly what Dayton needed. The entire history of this town was built on innovation, thinkers, and creators. Dayton got away from all of that. Instead it rested on it's laurels. People worked union jobs that were unsustainable (and not just GM), people took for granted NCR would never leave it's hometown. When those 2 finally did, it made everyone step back and say, "we HAVE to reinvent ourselves."

The past 4-5 years the city and region have done a good job. UDRI has expanded, UD has brought in new business to the part of town NCR once owned. Honda has expanded in several locations, offering good paying jobs without having to fight with unions. Fuayo coming in will be a large shot in the arm. Manufacturing companies are much more nimble and able to better compete in a global marketplace. Reshoring will continue to benefit Dayton.

There are plenty of reasons to be pessimistic towards the future. But, there are a lot of reasons (as mentioned by SWOHio) to be plenty excited also.

I agree as well. Then again, I'm not advocating for the few titans we have left to run for the hills either haha.

Either way, those closings gave us a kick in the pants, and cut the crap with union labor. Nothing killed this city more than the union jacks always asking for a handout and a pension. And it was easy as heck for upper management to give these slobs pensions, because all they were doing was kicking the can down the road.

I agree as well. Then again, I'm not advocating for the few titans we have left to run for the hills either haha.

Either way, those closings gave us a kick in the pants, and cut the crap with union labor. Nothing killed this city more than the union jacks always asking for a handout and a pension. And it was easy as heck for upper management to give these slobs pensions, because all they were doing was kicking the can down the road.

Thank goodness we are in the era of the 401k.

Completely agree. And it is going to take a shot in the arm to really get Dayton over the next hump.

Dayton should be out there advertising with pictures of, the Wright Brothers, Deeds, and Kettering on signage in San Francisco, DC, NY, Chicago. "A city of innovators for innovators." As you mentioned in another post it costs about 1/10 to live and do business here as it does on the coasts. Dayton should be pushing that to the creative classes in those cities who are paying $1,500 a month for a studio apartment and eating ramen every night.

Columbus is already going after those people with ads in those cities....Dayton needs in on it. Heck, the Oregon District is a steal compared to the Short North.

Dayton has never pushed it's innovating past hard enough, IMO. It should be everywhere in the city. Not just at Carillon Park and a statue here there.

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